WELLINGTON TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1099, 27 January 1912, Page 3

WELLINGTON TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

COUNCIL RESCINDS PREVIOUS RESOLUTION.

The Wellington City Council spent considerable time on Thursday night in discussing the case of Inspector Fuller, ticket-checker. It reversed its previous decision that the inspector should be transferred to another department by 10 votes to 4, and Inspector Fuller remains in his present position. The result of the secret ballot as to whether the men should strike or not if the decision went against them is not yet known. The scrutineers have been instructed to count the ballot on Friday afternoon.

RESULT OF SECRET BALLOT. MAJORITY IN FAVOUR OF A STRIKE. Later. The result of the ballot of members of the Wellington Tramway Employees’ Union, held in connection with the Fuller case, was declared last evening. Out of a membership of about 400, 275 voted “Yes” to the following question : ” If a satisfactory settlement of the Fuller difficulty is not arrived at, are you in favour of leaving work ?” It remains now for the executive of the union to decide the course of action it will take on the mandate from the majority of members.

UNION SECRETARY’S OPINION. Interviewed alter the ballot was declared last night, Mr Sutherland, secretary, said be was more than satisfied with the result. It showed the feeling of the great body of the employees, and demonstrated that the members of the union had every confidence in their executive officers. There would be no general meeting of members to decide what should now be done, the whole future policy now being left entirely in the hands of the executive.

Now that the decision of the men is known, the question arises : What will the council do v/heu the men come out ? From enquiries it is learned that it is the intention of the authorities to adhere to their decision in regard to Inspector Fuller. They will be faced with many difficulties, but it is understood that at least they will be able to maintain some sort of a seivice, the outlying districts probably receiving first consideration. There are quite a number, of corporation employees, apart from the tramway union, who have had experience in driving the cars, and these men will doubtless be called upon to act in-case of emergency.